Science Fact Finder | General Science and Technology - How Are Colored Fireworks Made?

How are colored fireworks made?

Fireworks made of saltpeter (potassium nitrate), sulfur, and charcoal, were first used in China in the ninth century A.D. Magnesium, widely used in today's flares and fireworks, burns with a brilliant white light. Various colors can be produced by adding certain substances to the flame. Strontium compounds color the flame scarlet, and barium compounds produce a yellowish-green color. Borax produces a green color, and lithium produces a purple color.

Sources: Hiscox, Gardner D. Henley's Twentieth Century Book of Formulas, Processes, and Trade Secrets, p. 609; Vergara, William C. Science in Everyday Life, p. 267.

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